Reflection of Digital Divide
your assignment when writing a reflection paper is write an original essay in which you weave together each of the sets of content that we cover in any given topic and introduce something new (an artifact) to the discussion that you have found outside of the assigned course material. This might be an example from the real-world that fits into the conversation we’ve had during the topic, an article from another source that you deem particularly relevant, a news story that you have uncovered that ties into the material, etc. In any event, the artifact that you introduce in your reflection paper must fit clearly into the narrative that you write. You must also properly cite the artifact that you introduce (web address, article citation, etc.). There is not a specific question that I am interested for you to answer in your reflection paper, as the assignment is for you to reflect on the content, introduce an artifact, and compose an essay in which you document your reflections. A reflection paper is, therefore, a particular type of written response that engages substantively (via a claim, argument, or observation) with the content from the articles being reflected upon. The following parameters are provided as a guide for you to use when writing: • Content: Make an original claim, argument, or observation using the material presented in each of the topic’s articles (which are found in the modules). In your paper, you must tie all of the topic’s modules together in some way. You need not write in opposition to the assigned readings, but your paper must engage with the articles in a thoughtful, critical way – simply restating the hypotheses, methods, and conclusions of the assigned readings is not sufficient. • Evidence and References: You must include at least one direct quote (and citation) from at least three of the articles in the topic’s modules (which means that you’re responsible for including a minimum of three quotes). Quotes should serve as evidence to advance or support the claims that you make in your paper – they must, in other words, be a substantive element of your argument. It is not sufficient to simply tack a quotation onto the beginning or end of a paragraph without discussing it, providing context, or otherwise weaving it into your argument. • Artifact: Your paper must include an artifact from an external source that provides context, support, or evidence to your claim or argument. The artifact must be properly cited and woven into the text of your paper. Simply tacking a final paragraph onto the end of your paper in which you describe a news item is not sufficient. • Style: These papers should be free from grammatical and spelling errors, and are expected to be written in a formal style. Avoid using stream of consciousness, bulleted lists, slang, informal punctuation, etc. • Length: 1,500 – 2,000 words. The paper should be 1500 words long
